NDFB-P outlines Bodoland area

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Kokrajhar, March 3: The National Democratic Front of Boroland (Progressive) has urged the Centre to create a separate state of Bodoland, comprising 32 tribal belts and tribal sub-plans areas covering 25,478 square km on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra from Sankosh river in the west to Sadiya in the east under Article 2 and 3 with special provision of Article 371 (A) of the Constitution.

It has also demanded initiation of the inner-line permit system to check influx and encroachment along with the raising of a Bodoland regiment.

This is the first time the NDFB (P) has specifically mentioned the areas citing the tribal belts and blocks for the proposed Bodoland and spoken about the inner-line permit system.

The development comes in the wake of a pledge taken on Friday in Guwahati by All Bodo Students Union to continue the struggle for Bodoland on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the struggle initiated by Bodofa Upedranath Brahma.

Absu’s pledge came during a mass gathering of over 50,000 people in Guwahati to mark the completion of 25 years of Bodoland movement.

The outfit’s information and publicity secretary S. Sanjarang said a four-member NDFB (P) delegation, led by B. Swmkhwr, submitted a memorandum to Union home minister P. Chidambaram on Friday, pressing for early solution of the statehood issue.

“Bodoland will be a state were the people of all indigenous ethnic groups and other bonafide citizens of India who have been living in the area for may decades will be the ultimate authority to decide their political destiny.

The memorandum stated that the two Bodo Accords — one that led to the formation of Bodoland Autonomus Council (BAC) in 1993 and the other that led to the formation of the present Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in 2003 — have not only divided the Bodo population but also failed to fulfill the political hopes and aspirations of the people.

“These accords are full of loopholes which rather have threatened the land rights of the Bodos and other indigenous people, nullifying the provisions of Tribal Belts and Blocks. The BTAD has attracted swarms of infiltration of undeserving elements. So the Bodo and other indigenous tribal people of the region want to have a separate state as they have every right to it on the basis of the unique history and distinct identity with rich cultural heritage,” the memorandum read.

The memorandum also demands enforcement of Chapter X of the Assam Land Revenue Regulation Act, 1886, in true spirit and its inclusion in the Ninth Schedule based on the Provision of Article 31B of the Constitution. It also demands Sixth Schedule status for the Tribal Autonomous Council.